Sometimes even using a good windscreen won’t eliminate all pops –or you might have opted to keep a take for musical reasons, in spite of a plosive problem. Try the following three techniques along with, or instead of, a wind screen: 1) Moving the Microphone. Move the microphone slightly above or below your mouth. This […]

Do you know the three main types of audio connectors? You’ll encounter several types of connectors when hooking together audio equipment – let’s look at two of these today: RCA Connectors RCA phono connectors are the type found on most home stereo equipment and are physically smaller than the plug that goes into a guitar […]

Use the proper wire to connect your speakers to your power amp. Speaker wire is not the same as a guitar cable—use designated speaker wire. Also, choosing a wire that’s too thick or too think for your situation can cause a problem with the efficiency of your amp and speakers. All the major cable manufacturers […]

Your audio mix at a performance usually doesn’t need to be loud to sound full. Keep in mind that the human ear does not have a flat frequency response across the frequency or volume spectrum. Your ear hears best at a frequency level between 1 and 4 kHz, especially at volumes below 80 dB SPL. […]

Maybe it’s not the volume that’s too loud… -says Bill Gibson Very often, someone will complain about the mix being too loud, but what they’re really hearing is a particular frequency that is out of balance. Vocals that are piercing typically contain an abundance of frequencies between two and three kilohertz. To many people, especially […]

Did You Know That Cables Need Care? There is nothing quite as frustrating as a “rat’s next” of cables when the beginning of an event is impending and set up is going slowly. One of the most valuable sills you can develop is the ability to wind cables so that they are easily separated from […]

Plugging in means making sure to avoid the lighting circuits -says Bill Gibson When you’re setting up for your gig, keep all lighting devices and fixtures connected to circuits that are isolated from the Audio AC supply. Why? First, lights require a lot of

Did You Know That…Your Soundboard and Effects Should Be on the Same Circuit? After you’ve surveyed the venue, the staging is in place, and the stage lay-out is solidified, find a good power source and set up the AC distribution system. This is a very important part of the setup—it is often overlooked, poorly planned, […]

Did You Know That…Condenser Mics Are the First Choice For Recording in the Studio? -asks Bill Gibson Condenser microphones are usually the first choice for studio vocal applications. Commercial sounds may vary, but most professionally recorded hit vocals are recorded with a good condenser mic set on cardioid pick-up pattern, from a distance of 6 […]

Did You Know That…Vocal Phrasing and Interpretation are King? The more you understand about vocal phrasing and interpretation, the better you’ll be at recording (and performance) – period. We can spend a fortune on gear to get great vocal sound and we can figure out what to tweak and where, to capture the finest resolution […]

Did You Know That…Your Headphone Mix is Crucial? Often a singer is out of tune in the studio simply because the headphone mix is providing an inaccurate pitch reference or a pitch reference that’s hard to pinpoint. Always listen to the headphone mix when you’re getting set up. For pitch reference, the best instruments to […]

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About Bill Gibson

Bill Gibson is President of Northwest Music & Recording, Inc., a Seattle-based artist development, recording, and production company that produces a wide range of music, print, and media content. He is a National Trustee and serves on the Board of Governors for The Recording Academy. Gibson has spent the last 30+ years writing, performing, recording, producing, and teaching music. He is the author of more than 30 books and videos about audio recording and live sound, most recently including the Ultimate Live Sound Operator’s Handbook, the Ultimate Church Sound Operator’s Handbook, and The Hal Leonard Recording Method (6 volumes). His recent works with Quincy Jones (Q on Producing) and currently with Bruce Swedien (The Bruce Swedien Recording Method) are the beginning of Hal Leonard’s Legacy Series. Bill teaches at The Art Institute of Seattle and Berklee College of Music in Boston and—as the Developmental Editor for Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group in New Jersey—is constantly working with multiple authors in the development of new instructional texts and videos.